Let me start off by saying I have personally used this easy homemade carpet cleaner for years and more times than I care to admit. My husband has a tendency to spill anything that’s red (spaghetti, pizza). We have very light carpet, so you can imagine how that turns out!
Now that we have a dog, I use this easy homemade carpet cleaner probably every few weeks.
The best part about this cleaner is it’s cheap and effective. It also is safe for kids and pets!
First, I will share with you the recipe. Then, I will explain to you a little bit about why it works so well!
Easy Homemade Carpet Cleaner (Only 3 Ingredients!)
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Ingredients For Homemade Carpet Cleaner:
- White Distilled Vinegar (5% acidity)
- Baking Soda
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Scrub Pad
Directions Overview:
- Clean up debri or whatever mess is on the carpet. I like to vacuum really well before using this.
- Sprinkle baking soda all over the area.
- Lightly Spray vinegar (I like to add the vinegar to the spray bottle for easy application) all over the baking soda.
- Allow the solution to bubble, then sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
- After it has set for awhile, you can follow up with some hydrogen peroxide if this is for a particular stain. If you are only using this to freshen carpets, then you can skip this step.
- If using peroxide, scrub the peroxide gently and upwards trying to avoid pushing stain down into carpet. If only using vinegar/baking soda, then scrub area well now.
- Now, follow up with vacuuming again.
Detailed Directions Step by Step:
Step One: Clean up any debris first. Pieces of food, excess liquid, or dog bones (lol). Just pick up the area a little bit so all you have is the carpet and the stain or just carpet that needs to be cleaned. You can see in the picture above that Ruger made quit the mess with his bone. He also rain outside in the dirt and came in. The carpet is just dingy looking with some dirt stains.
Step Two: Sprinkle baking soda pretty heavily on stain or just sprinkle all over the carpet if there isn’t a particular stain. You can see in the picture below there is some dirt stains.
Step Three: Make sure your vinegar is in a spray bottle, and spray the entire area that has baking soda on it.
Step Four: Allow that to sit for 30 minutes to an hour. You want it to soak in and dry a bit.
Step Five: If your stain is something that’s really deep like spaghetti, ink, etc this is when you want to pour on some hydrogen peroxide. If you are only using this to refresh your carpet, you don’t need to use the peroxide.
Step Six: Take your scrub pad, and DAB the area. If just using the vinegar/baking soda to refresh carpet, you can scrub it. For stains and using the peroxide too, dab and gently rub the area. You want to make sure to not rub the stain in.
Step Seven: Vacuum the area!
Much better! I used the hydrogen peroxide method on those dark spots. The other areas I did just baking soda/vinegar method and scrubbed. It cleans, refreshes, and deodorizes the carpet too!
The Science Behind How This DIY Carpet Cleaning Recipe Works:
When I first used this on a HUGE spaghetti stain (from my husband 🙂 ), he said how in the world did you clean that up? I told him it was all thanks to chemistry and really wasn’t too hard. Now, I will say, it took about three treatments of this for that huge stain. It was very deep and covered a large area! So, you may need to do a few treatments on something heavy duty, but it will get it up.
Now, let’s talk chemistry and why this even works!
Vinegar
Vinegar is acetic acid, chemically. It is ethanol (alcohol) that has been fermented which turns it into an acid. Don’t let the word acid scare you though. It is a very mild, very safe acid. It has some fanastic chemical properties that make it a great cleaning agent, even alone.
Remember my chemist solution for cleaning the microwave? Vinegar heated up was the key to getting all that stuck on food off!
Baking Soda
Another amazing chemical is sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda. Baking soda can be used for tons of baking purposes, but is equally good for cleaning. This chemical is alkaline (so the opposite of acid). It does a great job absorbing odors and makes a great scrub.
Hydrogen Peroxide
One of my favorite chemicals! It is a great oxidizer, so it can eliminate stains even on it’s own. Oxidizers have different ranges of potency. Bleach is also an oxidizer, but it is extremely potent and not safe to use. If you spill bleach on something, it will ruin whatever color the fabric is. Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t take the color out of fabric, it isn’t strong enough. So, it makes a great option for stains.
Mixing Baking Soda and Vinegar
Mixing an acid (vinegar) with a base (baking soda) will always have a chemical reaction. That is why when you put them in a bottle together and shake it, the bottle explodes! It produces gases that get trapped inside and have to escape. But when it comes to cleaning solutions, it reacts together to clean and disinfect. It will lighten stains and help lift them from carpet especially.
Like I mentioned previously, sometimes I just want to freshen up my light carpet and remove odor. Using these two together, than vacuuming it up is perfect. I always spray my homemade air freshener around the area afterwards. It will smell so good!
For those heavy stains, adding the oxidizer (hydrogen peroxide) in after you let the baking soda and vinegar sit for awhile, just really clears up the stain. I have also used this on red ink stains (Ruger loves to eat pens) and it took a couple of treatments, but I got it up.
FAQS
Is this safe for all carpets?
Peroxide is a pretty safe oxidizer, we have used this on brown and green carpets too with success. I would test peroxide out on a small surface first, just to be safe.
Is baking soda harmful to vacuum cleaners?
I have been using this with my vacuum cleaner for many years, and it is an old vacuum. It does well with it. The only thing I would make sure of is to allow this mixture to dry a bit before vacuuming it up. I have a vacuum cleaner that is the filters that I clean, and the container I empty out. It doesn’t have much more to it. Other important tips is to sprinkle baking soda lightly, not in big chunks. When combined with the vinegar, there won’t be much powder residue left with the chemical reaction.
So, if you need some help with carpet stains, I hope you can try out this easy homemade carpet cleaner! It works well on most carpets!
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I have been looking for a homemade carpet cleaning recipe…3 kids, a busy husband and a dog…Thanks! I came from the Tuesday Talk link up/
That’s definitely a lot on a carpet :)!! This stuff is so good for odors, cleaning, and refreshing everything!
Christian, I was told when using baking soda and vinegar it is not a good cleaner because the reaction is because One is canceling. The other one out one is an acid and one is a neutral and when you put them together they make that crazy foam but it’s actually canceling each other out, how does that work?
Baking soda and vinegar react to form a salt, but release carbon dioxide in the process. Learn more in this post on baking soda and vinegar. In a recipe like this one, they are applied in different steps, so you are getting the benefit of the reaction to break apart stains.
Love simple ways to take care of everyday problems – especially when they use everyday ingredients. With 5 kids and a dog . . . I have a few spots that need to be taken care of!
I do too! It’s so nice to have healthy options that are safe for cleaning. Plus it works so well 🙂
The great chemist strikes again! Alexis – you’re terrific. I have all of these items at home… I have a few dark spots from Ann and her peanut butter. Going to try your “formula”. This is great stuff! I love chemistry… wish I didn’t flunk it in college! 😛
You’re so sweet Laurie! This is perfect to clean up the carpet and freshen it. Chemistry really is so awesome, it was hard in college and not full of this fun stuff, but now I love using it for things that help people! So fun to see all the things you can come up with!
I LOVE IT when you post WHY things work. Makes me feel smarter while i work, lol MOM
Haha I agree! It helps knowing why you would put certain things together…and why that can really work! 🙂
I totally need to try this! I have some spots in my bedroom from makeup that could use a good cleaning and I always forget to by cleaner because only the bedrooms in my house have carpet! Genius! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
This works great! Definitely use the hydrogen peroxide version and it will get all those stains up 🙂 Thanks girl!
My daughter has all those things at hand and thing she might like this, so sharing it with her on good ole Facebook.
That’s wonderful Jo-Anne! I hope she enjoys it!
Great recipe – I clean mostly with vinegar and baking soda. Question – would it help with dust mites?
Hi Carol! Thanks so much! I know baking soda is a great deterrent for dust mites. I haven’t tried it personally, but I know there are some essential oils you can mix with this that help with them too. Eucalyptus and clove essential oils I have heard are great for dust mites.
Diatomaceous earth is an effective insect eliminator as it damages the exoskeleton of insect. It is great in the home and garden, safe for humans and pets. (Respirator may be recommended for use with large quantities and in closed spaces.)
I’ve got to try this out. I’ve been looking for something a little less toxic. Thanks for sharing at Funtastic Friday.
It is such a great method that is safe too! Thanks Sherry!
Now i wonder why you would have a picture of a dog on there? 🙂 how does this do for old stains? Between kids and pets our carpet takes a beating. Thanks for sharing on Family Joy Blog Link-up. Please come back and join us again! Remember to leave your host a comment to increase the chance of being featured.
It works great for all stains! When we first moved into our home, it had quit a few old stains. I just sprinkled the baking soda on it for awhile, then the vinegar. I left it for a little longer than usual, as well as the peroxide. It worked really good to refresh that area! Thanks Charlotte 🙂
I would like to use this on my carpet, we have a cat and he likes to shed his fur.
I hope it can help you!
Alexis, your post came just when I needed it. I have two hand-hooked rugs (rather expensive) that I purchased some time ago for future use. (The colors and pattern were perfect for my plans.) I stored them by laying them flat in an unused room and covering them with bubble wrap.) Last week, I was ready to use them and found the 4×6 to be in perfect, new condition but the runner had spots of yellowish coloring where it was formerly cream. The two rugs will be in the same area and the color differences will be obvious. The runner’s spots resemble scorch. I was told by a local Capel Rugs store that it might have molded. (The air vent is on the floor in the room in which they were stored.)
Do you think your recipe will be safe on these rugs and, also, do you think a wet solution like vinegar could harm the backing or the weave. I have read that water on carpet is what causes it to stretch and get folds in it.
Thanks for your help.
Betty
These are all great questions Betty! I have used this solution on Rugs before and it worked well. The key is to make sure to do everything lightly. When you mix the baking soda with the vinegar, it should dry fairly quick. I have also just sprayed some peroxide onto rugs to get out stains and it worked good for stains that weren’t too extreme. I think it will be fine, but I would definitely test a small area of the rug first and check the baking. If it does have mold, baking soda is a great anti fungal element and does well with that. Getting carpets or rugs too wet can definitely cause them to stretch, but this solution isn’t like it water, it evaporates and dries more quickly so it shouldn’t cause that. But again, definitely test it first to see 🙂
As the momma of three dachshunds (known for peeing on everything – just because they can), I’m also super excited to come across new carpet solutions to try, so thanks for posting this! Could you provide a bit more detail on your instructions for application, including the peroxide? So, I see that the baking soda shouldn’t have clumps when it’s spread, but how heavy do I sprinkle it? If I’m dealing with a specific area stain, do I completely cover the entire area of the stain with the BS? Or just scatter sprinkle it over the stain? After letting it set for 30 minutes, to apply the vinegar, are you just using a plain ol’ misting bottle sprayer? And how saturated? Just a light mist to fall where it may, like a room refreshener? Or spray kind of close to the carpet area and get it fairly damp? Or soaked? Finally, how are you applying the peroxide? Just pouring it and saturating the stain? And do you let the BS/V sit and fizzle a bit before adding peroxide? If so, how long? (Clearly, I’ve been accused more than once of over-thinking, but Im always desperate for carpet cleaning solutions and want to make sure I’m doing it correctly to ensure the best results.) Thank you so much for your time!
Hi Rhonda! These are all great questions, I am like you….I always need to be certain! To be honest, this is a very easy solution that is fail proof. It can be done in anyway and it will still work. That is what I love about it so much. I just lightly sprinkle the baking soda where you can see it on the carpet, but in a thin layer. The only thing to worry about here is to not get it chunky. I take a spray bottle full of vinegar and spray the area. Just make sure to cover the baking soda, it doesn’t matter how much you spray. It will need to dry, so the more you spray the vinegar on it, the longer it can take. Good rule of thumb is to let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Other than that, you can let it sit longer. When adding the peroxide to a heavier stain, I just spray it to cover the stain. It doesn’t have to be completely saturated, but it is okay if you do. That is a no fail thing to, it is really just your preference. The peroxide won’t dry much, so that is why i just dab it around and soak up the liquid as much as possible. This is what removes the stain. Then, I simply vacuum it up! The fun thing about this non-toxic solution, you can play around with it and see how it works for you. You might try a method one time, and apply it heavier the next. Depending on carpet thickness, type, texture, it can need more treatments. I hope this helps! Don’t hesitate to ask me any other questions 🙂
An easy way to add baking soda is to put it through a sieve with small holes. which helps it from clumping.
This is a very old chemist’s trick that also works in the kitchen on clumps of white sugar, which I always find in my bag/box container.
Just remember, thoroughly wash and dry the sieve between uses.
j
What type of scrub pad do you use for dabbing and scrubbing after the ingredients are on the carpet?
I just use a regular dish scrubbing pad. It is really up to you and what you have on hand. Just don’t use anything that is too tough or has hard bristles.
would a sponge work?
Any sponge or dish scrub pad will work great!
Can I use this on fabric? I have some orange stains that I think are tree sap or pollen on my washing.
Hi Julie, I have a much better fabric stain remover that was in last month’s newsletter. If you would like a copy of the newsletter for details, let me know 🙂 Basically, combine a few tablespoons of baking soda, few tablespoons of dawn dish soap. Then add 4 tablespoons (or so) of hydrogen peroxide to this (play around with the texture so it is like a paste). If not a paste like consistency,add in more baking soda. Then, rub it onto stains. Let it sit a few minutes, then wash in the washing machine. Works like magic! If it isn’t the type of fabric to wash, just use baking soda and peroxide with a tiny bit of dawn and let it sit on the stain. Then rub off.
My jaw hit the floor. The before and after is incredible. My mother has been looking for a great carpet cleaner for a while and nothing she finds seems to work (even with professional cleaning). This may be her solution!
Pinned and tweeted!
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Thanks Kate! This has saved me so many times with horrible stains like red ink and spaghetti (which seem to be the ones that happen ALL the time lol). It has worked better for me than store bought solutions which always reappear after a few weeks. I hope this can help her! Thanks so much!
I’m so glad to find this. I have 2 recliners that have stains and smell horrible to me. Can I clean my recliners with this solution??
You should be able too! I would just go a little lighter with baking soda so it is easier to vacuum up!
What solution of peroxide should be used–a 3% or 1% solution? I, too have a dachshund who likes to urinate on things just because he can, and have used a vinegar solution to remove the odor. The solution is 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar. Allow it to dry then follow it with the baking soda. I am going to try your method instead.
We heat with a wood burner in our fire place and get a lot of fine ash that settles into the carpet and has caused it to get dark in spots. Will the baking soda, vinegar, and peroxide help lighten the carpet?
I stumbled upon your page be accident and am so glad I did. Thank you for all the helpful hints.
The 3% first aide solution is what I always use. I have used it to clean up ash marks from our fireplace, and the hydrogen peroxide really helps get that up from the carpet! I have used this on just about every stain and it works so well. The ink was tough to get out, so I had to use two rounds of this treatment, but it go it up! So happy you stopped by and found my blog today. I hope you enjoy it 🙂
You’re a chemist; do you have any remedies for blood stains? While I was out of town, my roommate sprang a leak in one of his varicose or spider veins and left a trail of blood the size of quarters, leading from the edge of his bed, down the hall to the hall closet (hand sized there) and back down the hall and into the bathroom (throw rug… tossed). I tried straight peroxide, an enzyme pet stain cleaner and even had the carpets cleaned and they’re still there! Help?
Blood is tricky especially when it seeps into the fibers of carpet. It is easier to remove it from clothing, but all those tiny carpet fibers make it really hard. I have a solution I am testing for my new book (comes out soon!). There are a few methods I have used for blood on my white-tan carpet that have worked. First, you want to dry scrub the area with the blood to loosen up the blood enzymes as much as possible. Next, you can try a solution of vinegar and dish soap (half and half). Spray the area and rub upward, like a dabbing motion. Follow up with peroxide and let it sit for awhile. Lay a cold, wet wash cloth on the stain and press down. Let that sit a few minutes. You can also use cold water mixed with some dishwashing detergent (few teaspoons) and spray it on the stain. Dab it up with a wet towel until the area is dry. I have used both methods with success depending on how bad the stain was, I have repeated the method too. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I am wondering if added heat would help the peroxide part for especially stubborn stains. (Spraying on the peroxide and blotting with a damp towel and hot iron).
Heat helps certain stains, especially oiled based or water based things like paint. Heat doesn’t do well with protein based stains like foods or blood. For those, sometimes laying a cold towel on top will absorb the stains. I have done this with foods that spill, like a sticky juice, and sometimes that’s all you need. Steam is definitely a great additive for really tough stains, I have used that on some oil based paints that were on the carpet. It can be used alone or after you use this treatment, the heat won’t do anything to make the peroxide more active though 🙂 This is a great question, thanks for commenting!! 🙂
One huge, long set in stain is coffee. (I wasn’t allowed access to this messy space because of all the freaking out at the mess) Another I’m guessing is grease related. Suggestions? Thanks so much.
I’ve used this recipe many times for coffee and it has worked well! For the grease related stains, you can spray the peroxide on it and scrub from the outside in. Then follow up with a solution of about 1/4 tsp of dish washing detergent in 1 cup of warm water. Apply with the a cloth and work from outside in (to avoid stain moving outward). Then let it sit about 5-8 minutes. Lay a towel on top and blot it up, or leave the towel to let it dry. You can vacuum the area when it’s done. The detergent deters the grease like it does with dishes and I have had a lot of success with that. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Do you think this might work on a paint stain on carpet/ Hubby accidentally flipped the paint can lid upside down on the carpet. I have tried steam cleaning it already and it did lighten but still there. Which method would you encourage? Thanks!
Do you know what type of paint it is? This works on many types. The baking soda and vinegar reaction does a good job of loosening up paint, the peroxide is also a great addition for paint discoloration. If it’s latex paint, I have had good luck with using a mild dish washing detergent in hot water mixture (about 1 tsp per in one cup hot water). Dab the solution on the paint spots, rubbing gently inward. Allow it to sit for a few minutes. Dab it up as much as possible, then let is dry. Vacuum it once dry. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I use this method-minus the peroxide-to freshen my mattress, too. Friends thought I was nuts for scattering baking soda on the floor and spraying with vinegar. It works. A great house freshener.
It really does work great! I love how it cleans and eliminates odors without being too strong 🙂
Love this and it works well on stains!!! What do you recommend for use in a rug shampoer? I would love to have something to clean the whole carpet with a machine. Thanks!
I haven’t use anything personally in a rug shampooer, but I do know people who use a mixture of vinegar and witch hazel, with some lemon scent. You can sprinkle baking soda first, then use the carpet shampooer. It will be similar to this, but using the machine 🙂
Can you tell me the ratio for these ingredients as well as the % of witch hazel? Thank you!
Hi Sarah! There isn’t any ratios for this because it depends on the amount of area you are covering. A light sprinkle of baking soda, then a light spray of vinegar to cover the baking soda. If following up with the hydrpgen peroxide, it is also a light spray. It is 3% hydrogen peroxide 🙂
My senior dog has been peeing on the carpet during the night. So, I sometimes I wake up to set in urine stains. I have tried cold water with Dawn detergent but have not been successful. Your recipe for stain removal seems like it may work. Please advise.
I’ve used this particular carpet stain removal for my dogs urine and it worked well! The vinegar/baking soda do a good job of loosening and lightening the urine, the peroxide will oxidize the stain. For really deep urine stains, you can mix vinegar with some dawn and spray that on the baking soda. The dawn works best with the vinegar for getting stains up. You may not need to do that though, this recipe has worked for all my dog urine. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I just read Diana’s question about her dogs urine on the rugs. My rugs are not stained but even after using commercial products (several times) on my wall to wall carpets, the odor of urine is apparent (when I put my nose to the floor). Will the baking soda/vinegar mix get this odor out? Thanks!
The baking soda and vinegar has really helped with the urine odor we had from our dog. It neutralizes almost anything scent wise. If you want, try adding an essential oil, like lemon, in with the vinegar before spraying. That will really help with any odor. I have never needed to do that, but if you still have some odor, it is worth a try.
Thanks Alexis. I’ll try that!
Let me know how it goes!
Does this work on poop and urine
I had a dog with diarrhea and it really went deep in the carpet (Berber). I have tried several things and stain is lighter but not gone. Do you have any suggestions. Urine is also a problem in Berber carpet. Thank you for any help you can give.
I have used it for both from my dog and we have similar carpet. The baking soda draws out things deep in the carpet, then adding the vinegar really helps that chemical reaction pull out anything left. You may need to do two treatments if it is really deep, but this will definitely help. The hydrogen peroxide is what will help eliminate the stain on the surface.
What magic do you have for removing mildew/mold stains on a sheet and bedspread that someone apparently left a wet towel on for days and days????
For mildew sheets, washing them with regular detergent and adding in about 1/2 cup of vinegar should do the trick. For the bedspread, since it is too big to add to a washing machine probably, mix about a 1 to 1 ratio of rubbing alcohol and warm water (I do 1 cup of each). Rub the stained area, scrubbing in a circular motion and rubbing upwards. Rinse the sponge in hot water after rubbing the alcohol mixture a few times. Then, come back with a wet cloth and dab up the area. Let it dry and it should be free from the mildew stain. Sometimes, I have to do this twice if the stain is pretty deep. Hope this helps!
I have a scarf that was in a drawer and something latex has melted into it. I have tried using GOO Gone, ice cubes, and even a can of coke. Is there anything else you can suggest to get it out of the fibers? I have even tried
scraping it with my nails and plucking out pieces of it.
Have you tried soaking it in dish washing detergent? The type that goes into a dishwasher? It has a great chemical formula designed to deter particles even paint or latex. I have used it for latex paint on many surfaces and it has worked well. Just soak it in a bowl submersed into the dish washing detergent overnight, scrub it off in the morning and rinse. If the latex is a normal structure, it should work. Let me know how it goes and let me know if you have other questions 🙂
Finally some chemistry professionals to explain how to safely use chemicals. Thanks a lot.
Thanks John! Hope you enjoy all of our chemistry tips 🙂
I appreciate your chemistry tips, so much. I read and use them quite often. The carpet spot remover tip works wonderfully!!!
I purchased your book…and I
am looking forward to your upcoming book. Meanwhile, we had a house fire in 2007…and had a new home constructed in 2008. In spite of the fire, we were able to salvage some of our possessions, metal items such as brass lamps and other metal objects. I kept a number of them which either had emotional …or monetary value. However, they are covered in a hard black coating. Other items were salvaged too, with the same covering. Do you have any suggestions for me? I would love to be able to remove this coating and restore some of my beautiful possessions as they were before the fire.
No one seems able to help me with a solution. I am hoping you will have some answers for me.
(FYI—Your site does not allow me to have a left-hand margin to my message…when I try to adjust, it goes a little “crazy on me. Just a note,)
I am so glad you enjoy our tips, and I hope you enjoy the book too! I am so sorry to hear about your house fire! I would love to see if I can help you clean some things! I have a few tips that I can email you, and we can see what will work. It can be hard to clean something like that depending on the surface. Brass can be easier to clean, but some other metals are difficult. I will send you a personal email in the next few days with some tutorials 🙂 Have a wonderful day!
Thank for the information! I’m glad you mentioned to dab the area instead of scrubbing. I know many that do that mistake and end up spreading the stain even more!
Thank you! It makes such a difference when you dab it because it can definitely spread further 🙂
Awesome article and Blog. I enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed you speaking about vinegar and how it is not harmful. When I first learned about its effects and benefits I am not going to lie, I was a bit afraid of it. Great information, I am glad I ran into this.
Thank you! Vinegar definitely serves a great purpose in the cleaning world, especially on these types of surfaces !
Why does the vinegar need to be distilled?
I’m in Canada and I’ve yet to come across distilled vinegar. Maybe I’m not looking in the right place but I’ve been trying to find it for awhile now.
Distilled vinegar simply means diluted for household use. Any vinegar you find in your grocery section at the store is what you need. Typically it will say 3% acidity. This means it it safe for household use 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing! This stuff works amazingly 🙂 No more stains, woo hoo!
It really is such a great DIY! I use it all the time and it is such a lifesaver 🙂
I’m not one to scroll through blogs or posts very often and am much more interested in having your book or books on hand when I want to look up something. I tried to click on Chemistry Hacks at one point and nothing happened. How do you purchase it or them?
Also, I’m not bad at most stains, but have a tough problem with some of my husband’s underarm shirt stains. He used some brand of deodorant for a while and put his shirts on before his underarms had fully dried. We have some silk shirts that are stiff and discolored and some others that have a sort of coating on them. Another challenge is collar stains. Wisk and shampoo haven’t made much of a difference.
Finally, how do you get spaghetti sauce-type stains out of clothing? The combination of grease and tomato has stumped me for years.
All of them are found in the ebook. This is the link: https://chemistrycachet.com/the-book/ it is also at the bottom of each post 🙂 We have some stain removers in there that work for various things including the armpit stains!
Does this carpet cleaner work for nail polish? 🙁
It helps break up the polish. It might need a few treatments depending on how bad it is! My dog spilled nail polish on my carpet a few years ago. It was red and set in pretty deep. I did two treatments of this and it worked
Great advice, I recently moved into a new apartment with a lot of carpet stains and this has helped a lot to take them out. Thank you for sharing my apartment now looks great.
That’s great!
Really love the way your article was written, it is a lot easier for me to understand and follow those tips. Thanks a lot for sharing this one, it is very helpful.
Thanks!
I’m a little late to this post, but am thankful to find your website. So much (well-intentioned mis-)information on the internet–a site like this is going to save me from accidental chemical mistakes, which could be dangerous.
I do have one question after reading another of your posts about the danger of mixing peroxide and vinegar–how is this recipe safe to use when it appears peroxide and vinegar get mixed? Is it bcz the vinegar has dried, or bcz it is mixed with bkg soda, or…? Why wouldn’t a dangerous chemical reaction occur with this recipe? Thanks, in anticipation of your answer.
Hi Julie! They are toxic when mixed in a container where they react. Using them in separate applications like this prevents the acid from becoming toxic 🙂 all of my applications that may involve vinegar and peroxide are always applied separate
This makes so much sense! Thanks for explaining. I recently had some professional cleaners come, I wasn’t able to find the time to do it myself but I might try it out next time. I found a helpful post about the health effects of having clean carpets. https://www.precisionchemdry.com/dont-skip-carpet-cleaning/
It works so well too!
Hi Alexis,
The holidays took a toll on my light colored carpet, I added 1/4 cup of peroxide to my carpet cleaner and the vinegar and baking soda covered the stains that were so noticeable ?. Happy to say that I am so pleased with the results?. Thank you!
Yay, so happy to hear that!!
I know these combinations of products are really great and pray by using them that my dog’s potty stains will come out. I’ll definitely let you know!
Thank you, so much!!
Hi Valerie! I hope it can help! When it comes to pet stains, you might need multiple treatments depending on how deep it has set in
Tried and true. Favorite and most used post. So clean!!
Yay! So glad to hear that!
I just shampooed my carpets with this “recipe”. I used equal parts of vinegar, soda and peroxide. Added a few drops of tea tree oil. It worked very well. Carpets look brand new! I did not really have stains but just dirty wear and tear and it is fresh and dried quickly with my home carpet shampooer. Thanks!
That’s great!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
did u used water along with it or simply the mixture?
hi, thx for the tip. have few questions –
1) how to use this with a carpet cleaner machine. I have this one – https://hoover.ca/products/powerdash-pet-compact-carpet-cleaner?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsq6GwPzn8AIVS7LICh1exAFsEAQYAiABEgKah_D_BwE
2) does this works with any type of carpet/rug?
Let me know quickly, I want to try it asap 🙂
This solution can’t be used in a carpet cleaner because the key to it working is the separate application of vinegar and baking soda which release the carbon dioxide. If added all together in a carpet cleaner, it would neutralize before application. You can use this on most carpets and rugs, but I would test a small area of anything with heavily colored dye. And you don’t want to use any water with this mixture.
nice post
Glad you liked it!
Hello,
Thank you for this very useful post.
I’ve seen many websites recommending baking soda and then vinegar on carpets with the purpose of killing carpet moths.
Are you able to provide any evidence that these ingredients will kill off this pesky pest?
Thank you,
Ella
Vinegar is great for killing insects in general, it is one of the key ingredients in our DIY ant spray.
Thanks! I really appreciate your reply.
I have a desk type chair with navy wool covering the seat and the back rest. To clean, I was able to remove the fabric from the seat to clean it in the bathtub, and it looks great! But the fabric covering the seat back cannot be removed. Would this cleaner work for this purpose? Would it be OK on the wool?
I would follow the tips from this post for fabric like that!
Thanks for replying!
So I’d use the stain remover recipe. It is not stained, just generally dirty.
Yes, I would use that over using baking soda and vinegar for fabric. It can be used as a cleaner too, not just for stains. I also recommend a fabric cleaner to suck up all the dirt if nothing else seems to work